SUNDAY MERCURY WROTEElroy Bennett struck both goals as Highgate United won 2-1 at Coleshill Town.

COLESHILL HERALD WROTECOLESHILL fell to a home defeat in what was ultimately a fierce display from both teams with lots of crunching tackles.

Highgate started the brighter and scored after three minutes through Elroy Bennett but Coleshill steadied and were soon dominating the game. They were back on level terms after 21 minutes with a stunning strike from Phil Gayle.

The second half was very much the same as the first with Coleshill slightly the better team without taking their chances and Highgate managed to get themselves in front through a stunning run and shot from Elroy Bennett.

Coleshill huffed and puffed but could not get back on level terms and they must have felt slightly aggrieved not to have got at least a draw from a very close game.

REPORTYou could just cut and paste the match reports from pretty much the last 20 years of this fixture, no matter what the circumstances - Coleshill cannot beat Highgate!
The two teams have been doing battle for not far off 40 years and Gate seem to come out on top time and time again. Highgate had only won one league game this season, Town, while not in scintallating form themselves, were buoyed by the presence of a new manager, Andy Reece, and several old faces in the starting line up.
From the off there was a noticeable difference in the vocal aspect as goalkeeper Chris Butler and centre half Simon Bradbury barked out orders, but as usual Gate spoiled the party by taking the lead on 6 minutes as Elroy Bennett flicked on a header that beat Butler at his near post. Coleshill's first chance came after 12mins when a long ball was controlled by Danny Carter but his attempted lob went well over the bar. Coleshill started to get on top of the game and another returning old boy, Lee Bloxham, won the ball in midfield to set up Sam Wilson who again shot well over. On 20mins Carter tested the visitors' keeper with a well struck shot but the stopper was up to the task with a good save but just two minutes later Coleshill deservedly equalised. They had just won their first corner but as the Gate defence headed clear the ball fell nicely to Phil Gayle who hit a rasping volley into the roof of the net. Coleshill were lucky to go into the break level and with eleven men. A Gate forward was given time and space but managed to put the ball over the bar from 2 yards out then Dominic Reece appeared to stamp on a Gate player but with neither the referee nor the linesman having a clear sight of the incident no punishment was given. However shortly into the second half Coleshill were reduced to 10 men. Jason Ramsey and the Highgate centre half had been at each other for some time but the only thing the referee saw was Ramsey raise his hands to push the player away and off he went. Barry Fitzharris got to the bye line with a fine run and his cross was met by Carter at the near post but his flick attempt was saved on the line, then Bloxham's surging run found Carter who jinked passed several players and then disappointingly blazed over as Coleshill shrugged off the man disadvantage. However when Bennett scored his second on 70mins Town's shoulders drooped and the writing was on the wall. To be fair the goal was good enough to win any match as Bennett strongly held off his marker and hit an unstoppable shot from fully 25 yards leaving Butler in the Coleshill goal no chance. Coleshill had the better of the very few chances that were created from then on in but Highgate were in no mood to surrender their lead and Coleshill sunk to yet another defeat at the hands of Highgate United.

It's going to be a long hard season for both of these teams who are both a shadow of the sides that were promoted from the Mid Com four seasons ago but Gate can be confident that six points from the two games with Coleshill is almost a given!